Routes / YVR–LAX
1,741 km great circle · 1,500 to 3,500 km
Vancouver YVR to Los Angeles LAX delay compensation
Vancouver International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport is 1,741 km by great circle, Canada to United States. Distance does not change Canada's amounts: $400 to $1,000 with a large airline, by hours late.
- 1Vancouver YVR
- 2Los Angeles LAX
- 3Great circle 1,741 km
- 4APPR, 3–6 h $400
Which rules cover YVR–LAX
Vancouver → Los Angeles
Whatever the airline, this direction is covered by APPR (the flight departs from Canada (Canada Transportation Act s. 86.11(1))) and US DOT (the flight arrives in the United States (14 CFR 260.2, "covered flight")).
Los Angeles → Vancouver
Whatever the airline, this direction is covered by APPR (the flight arrives in Canada (Canada Transportation Act s. 86.11(1))) and US DOT (the flight departs from the United States (14 CFR 260.2, "covered flight")).
What you could be owed by hours late
Arrival delay at LAX (or YVR on the return), for a delay caused by the airline, per passenger, where each rule applies:
| Hours late | APPR large | APPR small | US DOT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | $0 | $0 | Nothing |
| 3 h 30 min | $400 | $125 | Nothing |
| 4 h 30 min | $400 | $125 | Nothing |
| 6 h 30 min | $700 | $250 | Refund if you decline |
| 9 h 30 min | $1,000 | $500 | Refund if you decline |
Canada's amounts rise with the delay instead, at 6 and 9 hours. The US column is the refund right only: an international itinerary needs 6+ hours.
The distance and the band
EU261 and UK261 measure distance "by the great circle route method" between the departure airport and the final destination. From the published coordinates of Vancouver International Airport (49.193901, -123.183998) and Los Angeles International Airport (33.9425, -118.40806) that is 1,741 km. That is only 241 km above the 1,500 km line between two bands, so this route sits close to a boundary: it is the distance between the two airports that counts, not the longer path the aircraft actually flew. Among the 12 routes on this site in the 1,500 to 3,500 km band, it is number 11 by length.
Other routes from Vancouver International Airport (CYVR) on this site: Toronto (3,346 km), Calgary (687 km).
Other routes from Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX) on this site: London (8,760 km), New York (3,974 km), Cancún (3,407 km).
If YVR–LAX is only one leg of your booking, measure to the final destination instead: a connection that makes you late at the end is compensated over the whole journey's distance.
Help at the airport while you wait
Canada's rules add standards of treatment — food, drink and, overnight, a hotel — when the delay is within the airline's control, including safety-related delays (ss. 11–12). US law sets no meal or hotel duty; the large US airlines' published commitments do, and they are on the airline pages. Keep receipts for anything you buy: it is claimed back separately from any compensation.
Claiming on this route
Claim from the operating airline directly — it costs nothing.
APPR: If the airline refuses or does not answer, file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency.
US DOT: If it refuses, file a complaint with the US Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection office.
Claim pages of airlines based in Canada or United States (whether they fly this exact route varies by season):
- Air Canada: Flight delays, cancellations and disruptions (Air Canada)
- WestJet: Flight delay and cancellation claims (WestJet)
- Porter Airlines: Flight Delay Compensation (Porter)
- Air Transat: Claim for flight disruption (Air Transat)
- Flair Airlines: Compensation requests (Flair)
US airlines' dashboard commitments: Alaska Airlines · Allegiant Air · American Airlines · Delta Air Lines · Frontier Airlines · JetBlue Airways · Southwest Airlines · United Airlines.
Airport coordinates: OurAirports country file (CA); Wikipedia: Los Angeles International Airport (infobox coordinates). Rules: Air Passenger Protection Regulations, SOR/2019-150 (Justice Laws); 14 CFR 260.2 (eCFR). Checked 2026-10-20. General information, not legal advice.